Past Forgotten
by Breshcandra
Summary: A woman with a part of her past missing finds herself in the company of Jaken and Rin with Sesshoumaru no where in sight.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters. But Shesta is mine.

Past Forgotten

Chapter 1

"This doesn't look like the place I was aiming for." Shesta muttered to herself as she glanced around.

The slight breeze that ran down the middle of the village ruffled through her long, jet-black hair, and nagged at her black pants and shirt. The breeze carried with it the smell of rotting flesh. It took her a moment to realize that even though it was the middle of the day there were no sounds. 

She squinted her red eyes as she tried to figure out just what went wrong with her teleport. After several times of mentally going through the calculations in her head, she could find nothing wrong. She gathered herself to try once more. Closing her eyes, she envisioned the place that she had first aimed for. A tingling sensation ran through her body as she made the jump. 

She groaned when she saw that she had not moved. This had never happened before. She glanced around at the seemingly dead village. If it wasn't for the fact that the houses were Japanese, she could just imagine tumbleweed getting blown across the street with western music playing in the background.

She noticed a large package leaning against one of the buildings.

"I wonder…." she said aloud.

It was a simple thing really, and did not require the same amount of concentration as teleporting across dimensions. She willed the box to her side. Almost immediately the box disappeared in a silent flash of light only to reappear next to her in another.

"It still seems to work." She said thoughtfully.

She was going to try teleporting again when a scream rang through the deserted village. It sounded like a child. Her attention was drawn to the house at the far side of the village. She watched as a child burst out the door, only to be dragged back inside kicking and screaming for someone named Sesshoumaru. Nobody treats a child like that. Her red eyes started to glow as her anger rose. She marched down the street, getting angrier with each step she took. The sounds of laughter reached her ears. She stood at the door, barely controlling her anger. Some of her past enemy's had mistakenly thought that her love for children was her weak point. Oh, were they wrong.

"Haha, you should have seen that little toad protecting her, grumbling all the time," a rough voice spoke.

"The little girl looks sweet. Its too bad the boss wants her alive. I could use a little snack." Another voice said, sounding a little like a snake.

Shesta had heard enough. With an angry roar, she kicked in the door. A group of men looked up at their unexpected visitor. The men had scales covering them from head to toe. In the back of her mind she labeled them as demons. More specifically, dragon demons. She really didn't know how she came to that conclusion but it seemed to fit. 

The demons were sitting in a circle. In the middle was the little girl, the tattered remains of a red and white checkered dress doing a poor job of hiding all the cuts and bruises marking her body. Off to the side, a small green body lay on the floor as though it was some discarded piece of trash. And leaning up against the wall was a staff with two human heads. One of a woman and the other a man. It somehow looked familiar to her, but at the moment she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Hand me the girl and you won't get hurt." Shesta growled in warning.

"The girl is ours, go find your own." One of the dragon demons sneered.

Shesta crossed the few feet to the one who had spoken. A look of surprise crossed the demon's face as he was lifted into the air.

"I don't want another girl. I want this one." Shesta growled at the demon.

She threw the demon across the room. Just before it hit the far wall, she quickly reinforced it with a shield. The demon hit it with a grunt and crumpled to the floor.

"Then there were five." She chanted to herself.

She noticed one of the remaining demons look around at his friends.

"Let's get her; there is only one of her and five of us." He said.

All five of them leapt at her. Shesta changed the energy in the shield that she always kept around her to as pure an energy as she could make it. She could only do it for a short time, but it was enough. There were several screams of pain as the demons hit it. Smoke, and the smell of burnt flesh, filled the air.

"How? Only miko's have the power to purify. No demon could do that." 

One of the demons asked in surprise and pain. He was cradling one of his arms.

A small smirk slowly crept onto Shesta's face. "I am not a demon."

The demon paled. "Let's get out of here!" The demons picked themselves off the floor and crashed through the sides of the house.

Shesta turned her attention to the little girl and looked her over. "We need to find you something to wear," Shesta said after taking note of the state in which her dress was in.

She searched through her dimensional closet knowing that at some point she had put a small dress in it for safe keeping. She couldn't remember when or how she had first discovered this small dimension. It was no bigger then a large pantry. She had started stocking it with travel needs, a first aid kit, pots and pans for cooking, emergency rations, and of course a year supply of popcorn. Over the years she had collected things from the places she had traveled, one being the dress.

"Aw, here it is." She exclaimed. She held up a dark green dress to the little girl.

The little girl smiled at her as she took the dress, and moved quickly toward a tall desk, the only piece of furniture in the house. Soon the girl came out from behind the desk wearing the dress, which was a bit too large, but just a bit. The girl gave her a goofy grin and ran to her, the grateful expression on her face dispelling what anger remained in Shesta. Shesta's eyes returned to their normal shade of soft red.

"Rin thanks you." she said, staring up at her from where she had wrapped her small arms around one of Shesta's legs in a hug.

Shesta looked down and smiled, "You are welcome Rin."

A slight creaking sound reached her ears. She spun around to see what had made the noise. The toad demon had woken up, and had just grabbed the two-headed staff. He panicked, and the staff spit fire at her. The fire splashed harmlessly against her shields.

The small demon's face fell. "Lady Shesta? I am sorry, please, I didn't mean to." He looked visibly shaken, obviously fearing for his life.

Shesta stared down at the cowering demon. "How do you know my name?" Shesta demanded. 

The demon blinked his large yellow eyes. "You don't remember? The spell worked better then I thought."

"What spell? Do you mean to tell me that a spell brought me here?" She growled as she took a threatening step toward the cowering demon. Before she could do anything else, the little girl had placed herself between her and the demon.

"Don't hurt lord Jaken, he is Rin's friend."

Shesta blinked in surprise. "Don't worry, I won't hurt him. After all he's going to tell us a story tonight." Shesta said meaningfully, glaring at Jaken.

"Come. Let's get out of this ghost town and get something to eat." She walked out the door and started for the woods that surrounded the village with Rin skipping along beside her. Bringing up the rear was a very troubled Jaken.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha cast. But Shesta is mine.

****

Past Forgotten

Chapter 2

The fire cackled happily, throwing its light onto the three faces surrounding it. Rin held a piece of half-eaten, burnt deer meat in one of her small hands. 

"Rin full!" she announced, holding it up for her companions to see.

Shesta sighed, and took the chunk of meat from Rin. "Ok. Go wash up."

Rin jumped to her feet and skipped down to the nearby brook.

"Wasteful human." Jaken sneered.

Shesta gave him an evil look, and threw Rin's 'wasted piece of meat', hitting him squarely between the eyes. Jaken squawked as he fell off the rock he had been sitting on. 

"Hmm, I don't think it went to waste" she smirked. 

She got up from where she was sitting, grabbed the dead buck by the horns, and dragged it into the woods. When she got back, Rin and Jaken were arguing.

"Sesshoumaru is to coming back." Rin pouted.

"You stupid human, he is not coming back." Jaken shouted back.

"He always comes back to Rin." Rin's eyes started to tear up.

Before Jaken could make the situation worse, Shesta's voice broke in. "Rin, time for bed."

"Rin not tired. Rin wants Lord Sesshoumaru." Rin pouted.

"You still have to lie down. Jaken's going to tell us a story."

"But Jaken tells long stories. Rin doesn't like long stories" Rin whined.

"The longer the story, the better. Now come over here and let's listen to Jaken." Rin crawled into Shesta's lap and snuggled close. 

"What would the Lady Shesta like to hear?" Jaken asked. 

"Tell the story of how you first met me." Shesta demanded. "And start from the beginning."

Jaken cleared his throat and began to tell the story.

******************************

"Lord Sesshoumaru, where are you going? Your father told you to stay here." Jaken squawked as he ran after the teenage demon.

"I want to watch the battle." Sesshoumaru answered, not bothering to look at his lackey.

"But your father…"

"I am going to watch!" Sesshoumaru glared down at the toad demon.

Jaken decided he might live a bit longer if he let Sesshoumaru do what he wanted, so he gave up. Sesshoumaru kept walking out the door and toward the battlefield. Jaken scrambled after him; after all he was supposed to be watching the young lord. 

The ring of metal against metal let the two know that they had finally reached the edge of the battle. Sesshoumaru and Jaken stopped on a small hill. Looking down, they saw that the two armies had already clashed. 

"Lord Sesshoumaru, isn't that you father over there?" Jaken pointed with his staff towards two fighters. Sesshoumaru didn't answer; he just watched. He loved watching his father fight. He made it look so flawless. Every swing of the sword was executed with ease. It was so…. 

"Well, well, well, look what we have here. It's Lord Inutaishou's brat." a voice startled both of them out of their daze. While they had been admiring the fight between the two great Lords the enemy soldiers had surrounded them.

"General Dramian is going to be pleased," said a rather large, scaly demon, as he sneered at the young Lord. Jaken clutched his staff tightly, ready to defend his lord.

"Haha, look the imp is going to fight, haha." Another demon laughed. 

The old man's head on the staff opened his mouth, and a stream of fire bellowed out, incinerating two of the demons. Jaken could hear Sesshoumaru fighting next to him. They might actually get out of this alive. But his hopes were quickly dashed, as more of the enemies were noticing that Inutaishou's son was on the battlefield. 

Jaken closed his eyes as the enemy troops fell on them like a tidal wave. There suddenly was a flash of bright light. Jaken slowly opened one of his yellow eyes, and let out a yelp. A young woman stood where the enemy had been. She had long straight black hair that came down to her waist, and was dressed in black from her neck down. Her red eyes were dancing with merriment as she laughed silently at their shocked faces.

"You dare to laugh at my Lord Sesshoumaru," demanded Jaken, as he waved around his staff threatening.

"I am sorry, I just couldn't help it. You should have seen your faces." The girl took a moment to compose herself. 

Without warning she stuck out her hand to Sesshoumaru. "Hi, I am Shesta" When he didn't take her hand, she let it drop back to her side. 

Without missing a beat, she dropped down to her haunches so that she was looking directly into Jaken's large yellow eyes. "And who might you be, O holder of the staff of heads" she said, her voice full of mirth. 

"I,I," Jaken stuttered; no one had ever asked him personally for his name before, let alone given him any respect. "I am humble Jaken who serves his Lord Sesshoumaru." Jaken finally managed to squeak out.

"Lady, who exactly are you?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"I thought I told you. My name is Shesta." Shesta stood up to answer the young lord's question.

"I already know your name. I meant, what are you? You smell like a human, but it's intermingled with the scent of other things, and I have yet to see a human with red eyes." Sesshoumaru asked.

"Wow! You must have a strong sense of smell." Shesta said, totally ignoring his question.

To Jaken's amazement his young lord let out a frustrated growl. "Tell me NOW!" Sesshoumaru demanded. 

"Or what?" Shesta said, daring him to do his worse.

A sound behind them made Jaken peer over his shoulder. What he saw frightened him. He turned back to the two bickering in front of him. 

"Lord Sesshoumaru." Jaken said, trying to get his attention.

"Not now, Jaken." Sesshoumaru said without taking his eyes off the strange lady standing in front of him.

"Please forgive this humble servant, but we have company."

"Good, now I can see how well you fight with a sword." Shesta said, as the first of the enemy soldiers came into sight. She turned her back to the growing mob of black clad dragon demons and took a step forward, disappearing from sight, and leaving Jaken and Sesshoumaru to once again face the enemy mob alone. 

Jaken could see their allies running towards them, but knew that they were too late to do anything. And Lord Inutaishou was too busy with his own battle. Jaken saw his master shift to attack position, his hands glowing green from the poison that dripped off his claws. Jaken griped his staff tighter. 

A dragon demon leaped high into the air, his sword above his head. He brought it down in an arc, and the sword shattered into pieces as it hit an invisible barrier. 

"Now where did I put it?" Shesta's voice came from behind them. "Ah, here it is." Shesta slowly phased back into view. "O good, they're here." She exclaimed upon seeing the mob of dragon demons.

"Here, you take this." She said as she stuffed a sword into Sesshoumaru's hand. 

Sesshoumaru looked down at the sword. He was rather disappointed to find the sword to be rather plain. Taking a few practice swings, he discovered that the sword was well balanced, and rather light. When he looked up, the odd human had grabbed one of the tougher looking demons by the wrist, and was dragging the demon toward him. When she was a couple of steps away from him, she dropped the demon's wrist and stepped back, as to get a better view of the fight without being in the way. 

"All right, you may begin!" she announced as though she were refereeing the fight.

The dragon demon grinned, showing very sharp and very yellow teeth. "My pleasure" he growled, just before he leapt forward his sword, ready to strike. Sesshoumaru stood still, his sword at his waist. Jaken was off to the side, clutching the staff. The fight was over in a couple of seconds with Sesshoumaru as the victor, his sword through the demon's heart. 

"Not bad, not bad," Shesta said. "but you could have ended it much sooner."

"What!" squawked Jaken. "Are you insinuating that you could do better then Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"Me! Do better?" Shesta said in mocked shock, her hands flying to her chest. "I don't know the first thing about swordsmanship. I just like to watch. But I do know a great trick that allows me to be on par with the best of them. I could even beat you, Lord Sesshoumaru." Shesta said as way of a challenge.

Without waiting for a reply, she bent over the very dead dragon demon and wretched the sword out the stiffening claws. Sesshoumaru snorted as he watched her get into what he presumed was her fighting stance. If it was, then she really was telling the truth. Her stance was all wrong. In fact, it couldn't get any worse. Sesshoumaru allowed a small smirk to pass over his face as he pulled his sword out of the corpse. He glanced at the sword in his hand, and back to the woman. She looked so confident. He decided to test that confidence and swung at her. He had just started his swing, when two clangs rung through the air as her sword hit his, and his sword was flying through the air, only to land a few feet a way.

"How?" Sesshoumaru asked as he held his aching hand.

Shesta opened her mouth to explain, when a roar rang through the air. The three of them glanced to where the sound had come from. While Shesta had been busy "teaching" Sesshoumaru her sword trick, the battle with the two great lords had come to an abrupt end when Sseshoumaru's father had managed to find an opening in the other demon's defenses and killed him. He must have looked around to see how well his troops were doing, when he spotted his son on top of a knoll in the center of the battlefield, surrounded by the enemy, and just having his sword knocked out of his hand by a black-clad person. He did what any father would have done. With a roar, he turned himself into his true shape, that of a 12 foot tall, pure white dog. He crashed through the demons on the ground, not caring if they were friend or foe, in his race to get to his son. 

"Sesshoumaru, you may want to try and stop your father before he runs into my shield." Shesta said.

"Then why don't you drop your shield?" Sesshoumaru hissed, not taking his eyes off his very large, and very angry, father.

"You think I am stupid enough to get run over by a 3 story tall cocker spaniel?" Shesta yelled back at him. The demons that surrounded them were in a panic. Most of them forgot that there was something in front of them, and they kept trying to run away from the great snarling dog demon, only to crash into an invisible wall. They would get up to run the other way, only to notice the demon lord had gotten closer. Forgetting all about the wall, they would again crash into it. After watching the third pathetic demon do this, Shesta started laughing.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I think she has lost her mind." Sesshoumaru nodded his head once in agreement, as he and Jaken watched the girl who was laughing so hard she was holding her sides.

There was a large boom that shook the ground as Lord Inutaishou hit the shield full force and was flung back a couple of yards. It took him a couple of seconds to get up. The large dog shook his head trying to clear it, his large ears flapping from side to side. This made Shesta lose it completely, and she fell to the ground rolling, tears streaming down her face. The lesser demons had taken the small respite and high tailed it out of sight.

The dog demon regained his bearings. The shock of hitting something solid must have jogged his mind from the madness that had seized him, and his rational mind started working again. He walked up to the spot where he had crashed into the invisible wall, and he cautiously walked forward until his nose bumped into it. The black clad human was still laughing, but she had managed to get herself more or less settled down, and was no longer rolling on the ground. Lord Inutaishou growled, letting his son know that he was not pleased with him, and at the same time hoping to jar the girl out of her hysterics. It took a full minute before the girl finally got herself under control. She stood up, and proceeded to brush the dirt from her clothing. Sesshoumaru's father brushed the shield with his nose, seemingly testing it. Sparks flew from between his nose and the shield. Lord Inutaishou transformed back to his human form.

"Release my son at once!" he demanded. His voice held no room for argument. 

Shesta got a rebellious gleam in her eye, and all the humor in her voice was gone. "What if I don't want to?"

At that moment, Jaken realized that this very dangerous girl was a teenager, a teenager going through her rebellious stage. And she probably got away with what ever she wanted.

"If you do not, then I will be forced to take you as a prisoner of war."

"You can try." Shesta said, her arms crossed in front of her.

"My father is very angry; it was not wise to anger him further." Sesshoumaru said. Jaken knew he was probably thinking that maybe he should have stayed home like his father had told him.

Lord Inutaishou glared at the human. He reached out and touched the shield. A bright light flashed for a split second, blinding everyone in the area. When Jaken could see again, Lord Inutaishou was glowing. He heard a gasp of surprise from the girl. Looking toward her, he saw fear on her face just before her eyes rolled up into her head, and she fell to the ground in an unconscious heap.

Jaken looked over at the two humans that were now fast asleep. Rin had snuggled even closer to Lady Shesta, and one of her small hands was clutched tightly onto the lady's shirt. The lady must have gotten up sometime during his story and grabbed a blanket from that mysterious closet of hers. The blanket had fallen from her shoulders, and was laying half in her lap, the rest in the dirt, doing its owner no good. Jaken crept forward and, careful to not wake them, replaced the blanket so that it covered both of them. He then climbed onto the rock that they were leaning on, and sat down. He wrapped his arms around his staff as though hugging it, and watched over the two sleeping humans. It didn't take long before he too succumbed to the blessed nothingness of sleep.

*****************

I would like to thank my beta Niamha.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Inuyasha characters but Shesta is mine.

Chapter 3

"Caw, Caw," squawked a black bird as he tried to grab the shiny piece of twine from his fellow black bird.

"Caw, Caw," squawked back the other. He shuffled across the branch away from his brother only to have the other shuffle after him.

The two black birds continued bickering back and forth oblivious to the sleeping figures below them. One of the figures crept deeper inside the blanket, leaving only black hair showing. As the birds continued squawking above her, Shesta gave up on the idea of actually sleeping in. She was just about to fling her covers off in a vain attempt to show those bratty birds just how much she loathed them when she remembered the little girl sleeping beside her. Instead she wriggled out from under the tangle of the multicolored blanket.

Once free her first thought was that she really needed a bath. She could feel little bits of grass and twigs clinging to her tangled mess of hair, making her look like some sort of wood fairy out of a children's book. Her black clothes were no longer a pristine black but a dusty brown. She made her way slowly to the nearby river, yawning every couple of steps. She crested a small hill and saw that the path led down to a small but swift river. Shesta started down the path, noting that it was just steep enough to make her have to pay attention to were she put her feet. As she neared the river she noticed that where the path meet the water was a pool of calm water perfect for bathing in. Farther out the river ran swiftly, a lone log bobbed in the water as it was carried passed.

Shesta berated herself for letting Rin come down here by herself. She bent down at the water's edge and scooped up cold water in her hands and proceeded to wash her face and arms as best she could. Shesta bent down to take a last hand full of water when her world suddenly tilted, spun and went dark for an awful second. She lost her balance and tumbled headfirst into the freezing waters. She came up sputtering, black hair hanging in her face making her look like a drown rat. Her black clothes clung to her body, out lining the womanly curves.

"O, blast, just what I needed, a bath." Shesta said as she flung water droplets off her fingers. She struggled up the embankment, her soggy pants clinging to her legs, making it hard for her to move. As soon as she reached dry ground she collapsed unto her back, her arms stretched out beside her. She lay there catching her breath until little rocks digging into her back caused her to shift to a more comfortable position. From where she lay she could see the sunlight dancing on the water. The sound of the gently rippling river calmed her down and she soon found herself slowly drifting off to her much wanted sleep.

"Lady Shesta why are you all wet? Did you go swimming in your clothes?'

Shesta's eyes flew open, brown innocent eyes stared down at her. It took her a few moments to remember where she was and what had happened. Her brain felt like some one had stuffed cotton in it.

"Morning Rin," Shesta said upon remembering what the little girl had called herself. As she sat up she could feel the sand and mud clinging to her clothing, making her feel twice as dirty as before.

Rin would not be deterred, " Lady Shesta why are you wet?" she asked again. Her head cocked to one side and the lopsided ponytail made her look even more innocent.

"I fell in." Shesta answered as she struggled to her feet. She attempted to brush the sand off but just managed to smear it over a larger area.

"You!" Rin exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Yes me. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to take another swim." Shesta said as she gingerly made her way back down the embankment.

"Why?" Rin asked as she skipped beside her, the slight incline seeming to not bother the child at all.

"Because I need to clean my clothes and it's much easier to do it while fully clothed." Shesta explained with a smirk.

They reached the waters edge and Rin stuck her toe in, only to take it out and wrap her arms around herself. "Its cold." Rin stated.

"Yes it is." Shesta agreed chuckling as she put her foot into the water, which was quickly followed by the rest of her. When she came up she saw Rin kneeling down to take a drink.

"Rin be careful, don't fall in," Shesta said concerned as the water was rather deep and she doubted Rin could swim.

"Rin won't," she answered taking another handful of water and splashing it on her face.

When Shesta had washed hair as best she could, she quickly got out of the freezing water. Her wet dripping black hair made her look like a drowned rat once again, but a reasonably clean drowned rat.

"Come on Rin, let's get back to the camp before Jaken wakes up," Shesta said as she grabbed Rin's small hand in hers.

"Lady Shesta, what did you do to your hair?"

Rin's question sent a shiver down her spine. "What do you mean?" She asked a little curious. She had just washed her hair so there couldn't be any debris or any weird stuff in her hair.

Rin was pulling her back to the river. When they got to the edge Shesta bent down to examine her poor reflection in the slow moving waters. Shesta looked on in shock. White bangs stood out in contrast with the black hair making a frame around her face. She pulled her bangs down to her eye just to make sure the river wasn't playing some practical joke. It wasn't.

"Jaken!" She yelled in utter panic.

Jaken came running as fast as his short legs could go. His arms pinwheeling in the air in an attempt to keep him up right as he ran down the small hill to get to the two humans. The staff of heads bobbed up and down in time with the hand holding it.

"What is it? Did something happen?" Jaken squawked. Just as he reached the girls he tripped our his feet and he went sprawling, Jaken let go of the staff to catch himself, failing miserably as he did a face plant at Shesta's feet. The staff made a dull thump as it landed in the soft dirt next to him. Shesta winced, that had to have hurt.

"Jaken, are you alright?" She asked as she bent down to examine his small form.

Jaken stared up at her, his short neck bent at an uncomfortable angle. Scratches ran at odd angles over his green face. He had forgotten that she was not at all like Lord Sesshoumaru, who probably would have just stepped on him. She seemed genially concerned. He was about to tell her that he was fine. That a little fall like that couldn't hurt him much since he was a demon, when he noticed her hair. This was not happening. It was suppose to be instantaneous. He was told it was by the great Lord Inutaishou himself. Something was dreadfully wrong. He could feel it in his old bones.

"Jaken!" Shesta said sternly, putting a hand on his slender shoulder, breaking him out of his troubled thoughts.

"Hmm, what?" Jaken asked still a little fazed.

"I asked you if you were alright?" she asked, concerned seeing the look of rear and disbelief that had crossed Jaken's face.

"Y-yes," Jaken stammered.

"Good. Then can you tell me why my hair is turning white? I am much to young to be going gray." Shesta joked as she placed Jaken on his feet.

"I don't know." Jaken instantly cringed, expecting a rock or something to hit him. When nothing happened, he looked up at Shesta to see her starring down at him with those red eyes of hers that seemed to be able to see right through him.

Jaken withered under the stare and finally mumbled "It wasn't suppose to happen this way?"

What wasn't suppose to happen?" Shesta asked as she stood glaring down at the only being who has any idea what was happening. "And don't tell me you don't know." Shesta added.

Jaken began to tremble. He really didn't know what was happening only that it wasn't happening the right way.

Shesta noticed that she wasn't going to get an answer from the trembling toad demon. So she tried a different question.

"Jaken," Shesta said being careful to take the bit out of her voice. When she saw that Jaken was paying attention she continued. "What was suppose to happen?"

"Jaken gulped, "You were suppose to turn into a dog demon when you first came. I thought you had already." He was rubbing his hands together, and whimpering.

"I can not become a demon. I have no demon blood in me." Shesta said. Her red eyes flashing.

"Does this have anything to do with the story?" Shesta asked as a thought crossed her mind.

Jaken slowly nodded his head. Shesta was about to ask him another question when a low rumble was heard followed by a small giggle. "Rin's hungry" Rin explained when they both looked at her. They had forgotten about the little girl.

"Stupid humans, always hungry" mumbled Jaken under his breath. Shesta heard it and narrowed her eyes. Jaken felt the fist land on his head. He reached up and started rubbing the spot as he tried to hold back the tears. Shesta took Rin's small hand in hers and started walking up the path, towards the forest; her nose stuck up in the air as they walked past the toad demon. "Come, Rin, we humans need to go find some food."

Jaken stood there trying to figure out what just happened. Shesta and Rin where just about to disappear into the forest when Shesta realized her little toad demon was still at the rivers edge.

"Jaken, are you coming?' she yelled. She and Rin stood at the forest's edge for only a little while until they saw Jaken come into view. Jaken face lit up when he saw them waiting for him. He ran the rest of the way. The staff clutched tightly in his hand. Shesta shook her head.

"Stupid toad," she muttered making sure that only Jaken heard. He looked up at her with his big yellow eyes and he opened his mouth to give a retort.

"Now that everyone is here lets go. I for one am starving." Shesta said before Jaken could get himself in anymore trouble. Shesta and Rin skipped into the forest with Jaken behind them trying to keep up.

They found a patch of black berry bushes off to the side, not to far from the trail. Shesta and Rin started picking the berries and stuffing them into their mouths. Jaken stationed himself on a small boulder and sat watching them. Rin's fingers and mouth were soon a dark purple Shesta was stretching to reach a clump of huge black berries when her vision swam in front of her and she lost her balance. With a startle yelp she crashed into the bush. The noise alerted Jaken and Rin and they raced over to where she lay.

"Lady Shesta are you alright?" Jaken asked as he looked down at Shesta. Her body had carved a human sized hole in the bush. She was laying face down and strange words were coming from under her.

Shesta pushed herself up so that she was once again standing. She glanced at her arms to make sure there were no wounds. She found none.

"I'm ok." She finally said as she turned around. Jaken and Rin gasped. The white hairwas spreading.

"What are you two gawking at?" Shesta asked a little annoyed.

"You've got more white in your hair." Rin answered before Jaken could get up the gall to tell her.

"More?" Shesta's eyes grew big. "Jaken I believe you had better tell me the rest of the at story. I have a feeling that it will tell me what is happening." Shesta walked over to the boulder that Jaken had been using and sat on the ground with her back leaning against it. She shuffled around until she found a spot that was comfortable then with a short nod she signaled Jaken to continue with the story.

Well I am finally posting chapter 3. I had a really hard time with it.

I would welcome in constructive criticism on the chapter.

Thanks


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha charaters.

Chapter 4 

When Shesta got comfortable she nodded to Jaken to resume his story.

"Now where was I?" Jaken muttered to himself.

"You had just stopped when I apparently lost consciousness."

"Oh…O right." Jaken cleared his throat and began.

"Father are you alright? Sesshoumaru asked concerned at the way his father was swaying. The light that seemed to have surrounded his father was slowly fading.

Sesshoumaru quickly walked to his father's side. He gently took his elbow so as to help steady his father. It took a few minutes for the glazed look to leave his father's eyes. Inutaishou blinked a couple of times before taking a step away from his son so that he could stand on his own.

"I will never do that again!" He finally stated, his gaze turning to the strange human now lying on the ground.

"Father, what happened?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"I noticed the girl and her shield were connected. I thought that if I could drain enough of her energy she would be forced to drop her shield. But I underestimated the amount of energy she held. I had to do it quickly before she could notice what I was doing. I guess I sucked too much." At this Inutaishou chuckled and shook his head.

"What do you mean by too much?" Sesshoumaru asked his curiosity perked.

"Didn't you feel it? The planet couldn't handle all the energy I was drawing from her. For that matter neither could I." The great lord added looking a tad bit puzzled.

As soon as his father mentioned it, Sesshoumaru could indeed feel it. The planet seemed to be groaning with excess energy.

"When I knew that the planet couldn't hold anymore, I had to use myself as a vessel." His father continued explaining.

Sesshoumaru glanced down at the girl. "She is too dangerous. She must die."

Inutaishou chuckled "You were always such a serious boy. Yes, she is dangerous, but I don't think she is a murderer. If she were, she would have blown this planet up as soon as she got here. But she didn't."

Sesshoumaru thought about that for a moment. "Father, what are you going to do to her?"

"I will treat her like a prisoner of war just like I told her."

Sesshoumaru's father motioned to one of the few remaining soldiers still on the field. The soldier trotted over to the demon lord and knelt down in front of him waiting, his orders.

"Pick up the girl and take her to the dungeon." Inutaishou commanded.

"Yes my lord." The soldier stood up and went to do as his lord had commanded him.

"Sesshoumaru, Jaken, come with me. I must think of a fitting punishment for your refusal to obey my orders."

Lord Inutaishou turned and started back to the castle knowing full well that his orders would be followed. He hadn't taken more then a couple of steps before a yelp was heard from behind him. Thinking that perhaps some of the enemy had come back he turned around sharply. His eyes widened in surprise to find his soldier sitting on the ground, his arms out stretched behind him, as though to catch his fall. His eyes were wide with terror.

"What happened?" He demanded. He could not help the growl that accompanied with his demand. This was the second time today someone disobeyed him.

"Th..There's a b..b.barrier." The demon managed to stutter out. He paled even whiter when he heard the threatening growl.

Lord Inutaishou narrowed his eyes. " There shouldn't be… I drained her."

He walked over to the girl expecting to come into contact with another one of her shields. When He finally reached her with no indication of one he looked over at the soldier who was now standing watching to see what his lord was going to do.

Turning his attention back to the girl he lowered himself onto his hunches and reached out his hand to touch her arm. Instead of coming into contact with her skin, his fingers brushed against a barrier. He tried sinking his claws through it but found it impossible. 'She still managed to put up some kind of defense even though she was drained and unconscious. Remarkable.' He thought. This was no ordinary human.

Seeing that the shield was not harming him, he ordered the soldier to resume his task. Inutaishou with his arms crossed watching the soldier picked the girl up and slung her over his shoulder and headed toward the castle at a brisk pace.

"Father?" Sesshoumaru broke the silence that had been hanging around the battlefield.

The demon lord looked at his son. "I have many questions for that girl when she awakens. Come." Inutaishou once again resumed his walk home, his son by his side

with Jaken bring up the rear as usual. Jaken had to run to keep up with the two demons.

"Wait for me." He squawked.

The trio past a large bolder that when the sun hit it just right the shadows made it look like a large stone dog guarding the trail. Signaled that they were nearly home.

"Jaken you are in charge of the prisoner. You are to notify me as soon as she awakes. Inutaisou's voice rang through the air startling the birds into silence.

"Hmm, what, oh, Yes my lord." Jaken said stopping so that he could properly bow. When he looked up he noticed that the two demons had kept walking leaving him behind once again. "Wait for me my lords." Jaken cried out as he once again had to run to catch up.

A tall woman dressed in a dark green kimono meet them at the front gate, her arms crossed over her round belly. As soon as Sesshoumaru saw his mother he fell behind his father with his head bent trying to make himself invisible.

As they got closer Jaken noticed that Lady Yudoku was tapping her foot and she had a scowl darkening her finely chiseled face. Sesshoumaru was going to get it. Jaken allowed a small smirk to sneak onto his face.

"Young man, I have been looking for you!" her voice deadly calm.

Sesshoumaru shrank even more.

"Where have you been?"

"Yudoku he has been on the field watching the battle." Inutaishou answered for his son.

"On the battle field! You skipped your lessons to go watch a stupid battle!" Her normal emerald eyes were now the color of a storm-tossed sea.

"Yes ma'm." Sesshoumaru muttered, almost too quietly for his mother to hear him.

"You will march to your room this instant and stay there. You will not get any dinner tonight." His mother commanded.

"But…." Sesshoumaru stammered. He had skipped lunch to go watch his father and he was now famished. He would starve to death before morning.

"No buts about it. Go Now!" Yudoku unfurled her arms and pointed toward the door with a long graceful finger.

Jaken saw the crestfallen look on the young lord's face.

"But mother," Sesshoumaru whined. Which turned out to be a big mistake. Quick as a snake strike she had Sesshoumaru's ear in between her fingers and was dragging him into the castle, no doubt to his room.

"For that extra 'but' you are to write…" Jaken never did find out what Sesshoumaru had to write as Yudoku and her son quickly passed beyond his hearing.

"Jaken," Inutaishou said looking down at the green toad demon, "You know what you're supposed to be doing," he added with a wry smile, "and I hope I don't have to drag you by the ears."

"No my lord" Jaken answered quickly. His eyes widened as he grasped what he had just said. "I mean yes my lord." Jaken bowed and scurried off to do as he had been told. Later he found out that Lord Inutaishou had Sesshoumaru look after his seven younger cousins. Jaken was only too glad to have escaped that particular punishment. The twins alone were enough to drive anyone insane. Meanwhile his charge remained in a coma.

It had been two full moons from the day they had acquired the strange girl. She was still lying in her cell unconscious. She hadn't moved an inch. Lord Inutaishou had even commented that she might never wake up. Jaken sighed as he watched over his charge. Lady Yudoku had not been herself for the past week. She seemed listless and pale. It could not be the baby as she still had several months to go. Lord Inutaishio was worried enough to have sent for a renowned demon healer. She should be here by the time the sun set. Jaken glanced at his charge only to find what he had expected she had not moved.

"Lord Jaken! Lord Jaken!" someone called down.

"What do you want?" Jaken yelled back.

"The healer is here. You said you wanted to know." The same voice yelled back.

"I'll be right there." Jaken said. He glanced at the girl one last time and then shrugged. "She hasn't woken up in two months what are the odds that she would wake now?" he mused.

He really wanted to hear what the healer found out about lady Yudoku. He scurried over to the ladder and just before he climbed up he glanced back at the prisoner only to see her lying peacefully on the small cot. Shrugging he scurried up the ladder only to be greeted by one of the servant girls.

"Jaken aren't you suppose to be watching the prisoner?" she asked innocently, but her sly smile betrayed her, it was always fun to tease the small youki.

"Shut up. She hasn't stirred in two months she isn't going to wake up now." Jaken pushed his way passed the grinning girl and ran all the way to the Lady's room. He stopped at the door and wheezed as he tried to catch he breath. The healer was looking into Lady Yudoku's eyes; the small frown that graced the old youki's face grew deeper. She beckoned to Inutaishou and together they left and went to another room. Jaken looked nervously around the room to see if anyone knew of what was happening but everyone else seemed just as worried and curious.

"Poison!" roared Inutaishou. He stormed out into the hall. His eyes were blood red and his feature's were more dog-like then human. "I want who ever did this brought to me alive!" He thundered.

Everyone in the room scrambled to do as he commanded. Everyone except his son who came over to stand by his seething father and Jaken who wisely stayed were he was.

"Poison, father? Who would do such a thing?" Sesshoumaru asked. He glanced worriedly at his mother. His mother was lying on her bed, a thick blanket draped over her shivering form. Sweat covered her pale face.

"Yes. A poison only humans have been known to use." His father narrowed his red eyes, a sign that he was very mad. Without speaking to either his son or his lackey he spun on his heel and headed toward the door.

"Father, where are you going?' Asked Sesshoumaru as he ran to catch up to his father.

"I am going to kill me a human." Inutaishou growled.

He pushed the doors open and stormed over to the holding cell. He didn't bother climbing down the ladder. He landed with a deadly grace and stormed over to the cell that had held the sleeping human girl. Had was the operative word as there was no longer any girl, sleeping or otherwise.

"Jaken!" He roared. A very frightened youki scurried down the ladder and threw himself at his lord's feet. Jaken didn't bother to look up at his lord. He could literally feel the anger radiating off him. He gulped. "Y-Yes my lord." He squawked, his small body trembling.

"I thought I told you to watch the girl. Now tell me where she is?" Inutaishou bellowed. Jaken looked up from his position just enough to look into the cell. Sure enough the cell was empty with the door still firmly locked shut.

"She was there just five minutes ago." Jaken whined his face once again buried into the ground. "Let this servant go out and look for her."

Jaken added quickly, hoping that it would be enough to let him live.

Lord Inutaishou glared down at the luckless youki trembling at his feet. "Bring her to me by sunset if you want to live."

He didn't wait for Jaken to answer. There was no need too. Instead he walked over to the ladder and climbed up. But not before satisfying some of his anger by stepping on the small youki lying conveniently at his feet.

Sesshoumaru was waiting for Jaken when he finally emerged from the dungeon. Sesshoumaru took in Jaken's trembling form, and the way he kept looking around with his large yellow eyes. When he started to wring his hands Sesshoumaru decided to stop his whining and simpering before it started.

"Jaken stop." Sesshoumaru commanded.

Jaken looked up at him as though just noticing him. "Lord Sesshoumaru, what am I going to do. I am not a tracker, there is no way for me to find the human and your father is going to kill me." Jaken whined his already high-pitched voice sent even higher in his panic.

Sesshoumaru winced, the tone hurting his delicate hearing. Sesshoumaru decided to take pity on the small demon before him. Besides he was most curious how the strange girl had gotten out of the cell.

"Jaken stop that pitiful whimpering, I will help with the search for the human." He stated. He lifted his nose into the air and tried to pick up the scent of the strange human. There it was. It was faint and heading toward the large lake at the eastern part of the estate.

"This way." He said as he calmly walked toward the lake. Jaken eyes lit up. He wasn't going to die. And the young lord was helping him. He decided that he was going to follow Lord Sesshoumaru wherever he went. He noticed that once again he was being left behind and hurried to catch up.

They made their way to the lake in silence. Sesshoumaru did not want the human to know they were coming.

The forest ended at the edge of the lake. The scent seemed to fade out of existence as soon as they reached the water edge. The high noon sun beat down on the lake making it dance with brilliant color and easy to see if there was anyone swimming in it. They were disappointed to find the lake empty except for a very large and tall boulder jaunting high out of the water.

"Do you see her?" Jaken asked. His voice once again raising in panic.

"No Jaken I don't. The scent ends here." His eyes narrowed as he thought he saw something on top of the boulder.

"She's here." He stated calmly, his gaze fixed on to the top of the boulder.

"Where? I don't see her?" Jaken asked as he looked out across the water.

"Jaken look up on the boulder and tell me what me what you see."

Jaken squinted his eyes as he attempted to see what his lord had spotted. He could barely make out a patch of black against the dull grey of the rock.

"How did a mere human get up that high?" Jaken thought out loud.

Sesshoumaru didn't comment as that same thought crossed his mind. The boulder was easily a few hundred feet high and rose straight up out of the water. It had very little handholds to grab onto and was nearly impossible to climb. The older youki kids would challenge each other to climb it and he had yet to hear of one succeeding.

"Awk." Jaken squawked. He put his hand up to feel the small bump that was growing from where a rock had hit him.

Sesshoumaru lazily plucked the stone out of the air that had been aimed at him. He glanced around trying to spot the culprit.

"You perverts." A woman's voice yelled out from his right. "Can't a gal have a bath in private. I've been in a coma for…" Here the voice stopped.

"Just how long have I been lying there?" She finally asked.

"Two full moons" Sesshoumaru answered readily. He was still trying to find the woman. She sounded very close.

"Two months. I've been in that stinking dank dark cell for two months!"

Sesshoumaru and Jaken immediately recognized that voice. It belonged to the missing human.

When Sesshoumaru thought he had her pinpointed he threw the rock that he had in his hand in the direction that the voice was coming from. The rock flew through the air before suddenly stopping in mid air and fell into the lake with a gentle plop. As soon as the rock hit the water Sesshoumaru made a grab for the invisible human. What he got instead was a hand full of air and a sopping wet kamano.

"What are you doing trying to grab me like that. Don't you know I'm naked." The woman's voice was now coming from the center of the lake. "Why are you in such a hurry? Can't a lady bathe in private." They heard her mumble.

"You're no lady!" Jaken sneered.

"What!"

" I said you're not a lady." Jaken snapped back.

"Are too" Shesta yelled back.

"Are not"

" Are too"

"Not"

"Are"

Sesshoumaru found himself standing at the sidelines of a rather childish argument. He was sorely tempted to sit back and watch the small toad youki having an argument with an invisible human. But he decided that he would be wasting time he did not have to waste. He didn't want to leave his mother for too long.

"If you two are done, I would like to get back to my mother before she dies." Sesshoumaru interrupted.

"Your mother's dying?" Shesta asked concerned. "How?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "My mother is dying from a poison that only humans have been known to use. And you are the only human inside the castle walls."

"You think I poisoned your mother. Are you insane? I have been in a coma for two months. Where do you think I could have gotten it from? I am not even from here, how was I supposed to have poisoned her?" Shesta said angrily. The two demons could feel the raw energy coming from her, as the water in front of them started to boil.

"Do Not move." She commanded. A flash of light blinded the two momentarily. When they could see again the water had settled back down into its mirror like state.

Sesshoumaru glanced up to where he could see the black clothes on top of the boulder. It was unnerving to watch as the clothes slowly lifted into the air and became the form of the woman his father had taken from the battlefield he continued to watch to see how she would climb down. He was looking directly at her when she seemed to dissolve into a shimmering light. He jumped when she appeared next to him. Her long black dripping hair was leaving wet spots on her black clothes. By the paleness of her face she didn't look like she was up to the task of walking home. His suspensions were confirmed when she started to sway. She abruptly sat down on the ground with her head cradled in her hands.

"O My head. I don't think I should do that again for awhile." She groaned.

Sesshoumaru waited until it seemed long enough for the woman to compose herself.

"Come. We need to get back before my father kills someone he doesn't mean to."

"Alright." Shesta agreed. She slowly stood up hoping that her headache would go away.

She winced when the pain increase ten fold for a split second and then returned to its original throbbing.

"Alright lets go." She repeated more to herself then to the two demons watching her.

She started walking toward the direction of the castle.

"Stupid human, you're going the wrong way." Jaken sneered.

"I knew that I was just testing you guys." Shesta said. She turned around and walked past the two demons. "Last one there is a rotten egg." She called out as she past them. She sped her pace up to a slow run.

The two demons watched as she ran toward her doom.

"Come Jaken, we don't want to be rotten eggs." Sesshoumaru said before he disappeared into the forest leaving Jaken behind.

"Wait my lord. I don't want to be a rotten egg." Jaken cried out as he ran to catch up with the young lord."

"So where is your mom? I might be able to help her." Shesta said as she glanced at castle. It was an old fashioned Japanese castle, with paper walls and bamboo supports. The castle was spread over an immaculate ground. She knew from past experiences that there would be a huge garden inside where the lords and ladies could spend the day away from their troubles and the trouble of others.

As they neared the gate one of the two guards approached Sesshoumaru. Bowing he delivered his grievous news.

"My Lord Sesshoumaru, the Lady has gotten worse and the healers say she will not live to see the sunrise. Your lord father is out hunting for the one who did this. And has yet to hear the news."

"I will find father and tell him. Jaken keep an eye on the girl."

"My Lord, what girl? There's just the two of you." The guard said, a bit puzzled. The young lord was usually of very sound mind.

"My lord, she's disappeared again." Jaken said casting his gaze around hopping to spot her.

"Jaken go find her. She cannot have gone far. I will find my father." Sesshoumaru commanded before leaving.

Jaken soon found himself alone. "Where could she have gone?" Jaken thought out load.

He began to pace in front of the gates. The two guards glanced at each other before smirking. The imp was always amusing to watch.

"I know!" He exclaimed suddenly and rushed past two very confused guards and into the castle.

Jaken immediately headed toward Lady Yudoku's room. A strange sight greeted him when he got through the door way. The two helpers that the healer had brought with her were cowering in the left corner. They both seemed to be in shock. One of them kept murmuring, "ghost" while the other hid her face in her friend's kimono.

The healer was busy working over the sick lady and seemed to be talking to a floating scroll.

"I have never seen anything like this" a very familiar woman's voice said. "A poison that only reacts to demons."

The healer nodded her head sadly. "Yes. And it has almost no effect on humans. The worst that ever happens is they get sick for a couple of days. With demons, it seems to drain their will to live right out of them. The weaker the demon the faster they die. But they all die. I have yet to hear of any surviving this."

"I can't do anything for her. I don't even know where to start." Shesta said her voice betraying how frustrated she was. "I wish Max was here." She added under her breath.

"Show yourself, human wrench." Jaken demanded.

"Wench! I am no wench. How dare you."

"Jaken watched in horror as the scroll rolled up and came closer. He ducked but not soon enough as the scroll came down and connected with the top of his head. Jaken squawked and clutched the top of his head where a small bump was already forming.

"Where is Sesshoumaru?" She asked not bothering to wait for Jaken to stop whimpering.

"That's Lord Sesshoumaru, w.. human." Jaken answered his hand still touching his tender head.

"Where is he? I thought he would be right behind you." Shesta said. The scroll now floating toward the bed where Lady Yuduka lay.

"He went to get his father. Lord Inutaishou is out hunting for you." Jaken sneered. His eyes shown with delight at the thought of his lord killing the human wench.

"Out hunting for me? He should be out hunting the one who did this." Shesta said her voice showing traces of anger.

"Who ever did this is going to pay." She added angrily. Her voice now deadly calm and dangerous. The scroll was flung to the floor and something brushed passed him.

"Where do you think your going?" Jaken asked as he ran out into the hall.

"Some where I can be destructive with out harming anything." Shesta called back, her voice coming from the right and heading toward the gate.

The gate was thrown open and a very angry demon lord walked in followed by his son. He saw Jaken and headed toward him, murder reflecting in his eyes. He didn't get two steps from the door before he collided with nothing. Something fell to the ground with an "omf".

"Show yourself." He demanded. His sensitive ears picking up heavy breathing.

"I can't" came the voice. It took him a matter of seconds to recognize the voice.

"You will show yourself or I will kill you." He demanded once again.

"I told you I can't, baka" Shesta said. "I don't have the energy. Energy you sucked out of me."

Lord Inutaishou eyes narrowed and in a flash he had grabbed the rude human. He hoped he had the insolence girl by the neck and started to squeeze. Instead of the desired effect of her gasping for air she remained silent. He squeezed harder, intent on distinguishing this impossible rude human. But it was like squeezing a rock. A very solid rock.

"Are you done trying to kill me?" Shesta said with a sigh. "Your mate is lying in her room dying from poison and the baby will never know what it feels like to live. Go; be with your mate. I give you my promise that I will stay here and you can resume to waste your time trying to killing me or catching the real coward."

Inutaishou stared at his clutched hand and finally nodded his consent. He let go and was satisfied to hear a thump as once again the girl met the harsh, unyielding floor.

He motioned to his son and they both headed to his mate's room closing the door behind them leaving Jaken alone with the invisible human.

It looked like Jaken was going to protest to being left behind again until he realized why. His shoulders sagged.

"Come on little demon, lets leave them alone." A voice startled him out of his moment of depression.

"You stupid human, telling Lord Inutaishou he was an idiot. You could have been killed." Jaken said covering up his moment of weakness.

"I am not that easy to kill" Shesta shot back. She grabbed the imp by the back of his kamino and dragged him protesting out the gate and past two very confused guards.

They were sitting by the pond tossing small pebbles into the water when they heard a mournful howl, which was quickly followed by a second.

They sat in silence for a long while. Jaken mourning the loss of a great lady while Shesta mourning the loss of someone she would never know.

"Jaken" Shesta asked when Jaken had stopped telling the story. Tears glistened in his eyes as he remembered that awful day.

"Did they ever find who did it?"

Jaken shook his head no. "No they never found the culprit. Even with your help. Lord Inutaishou took his wrath out on a near by village." Jaken answered mournfully.

"Oh" Shesta muttered letting the silence hang heavy in the air, as she thought about all she learned in the past hour.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

The two humans and the small youki traveled on in silence, only stopping at a small stream to let Rin wash the purple berry stain off her face and hands.

Shesta was feeling tired, whozzy and all together not like her usual self. The forest seemed to be closing around her and the very air was thick and heavy. She needed to get out of there, be somewhere that had open skies. To be up there, where the sun shined and she could be free, but her body refused to change. It too had become constricting. Her struggle must have shown on her face because the small green creature looked at her with concern.

"Lady Shesta are you feeling well?" Jaken asked when he noticed the paleness of his mistress's face.

"I, I'm fine. I just need some space." Shesta answered as though in a daze. Her eyes flitting from one tree to another.

"There is a clearing not to far from here." Jaken quickly said. He had never seen lady Shesta look so lost and it worried him. He quickened his pace, pulling Rin along with him.

They reached the clearing a few minutes later and Shesta visibly relaxed.

"Thank you Jaken." Shesta said, her eyes closed while she stood motionless letting the sun warm her tired and aching body. A small tug on her pant leg dragged her back to reality. She looked down into deep dark brown eyes.

"Yes Rin?" Shesta asked.

"Can Rin go pick the pretty flowers?" Rin asked hopefully, as she stared up at Shesta.

"Go ahead, but make sure you can see us at all times." Shesta answered. She rustled the girl's hair before Rin had a chance to get away.

She let out a long sigh before collapsing onto her back in the long grass. She gazed up at the blue sky that was accented with a few wisps of cloud.

"Jaken?" she said lazily.

"Yes Lady Shesta." Answered the toad youki from her right.

"What happened next? Surely the story doesn't end there." Shesta asked.

Silence meet her inquiry. It lasted long enough that she thought the toad had fallen asleep, when he finally spoke.

"You left right after Inutaishou attacked the village." Jaken said answering her question.

"It was many years before you showed up again. You had come to see how Lord Sesshoumaru was holding up. Lord Sesshoumaru and you became best friends but it never got beyond that." Jaken said with a disappointed sigh.

Shesta snorted at that. She would probably die an old maid; marriage was for people that were somewhat normal.

Jaken ignored the rude sound and continued. "But that all changed the night Lord Inutaishou had a very disturbing vision.

Jaken looked up at his lord, Inutaishou was slightly frowning and seemed to be lost in thought. His lord did not look like he was getting very much rest. Jaken could see the beginnings of dark circles under his eyes and his step was not quite so, regale. The last time he had looked this way was the first few weeks after his wife died. But that was ten years ago. He and lord Inutaishou were out doing the annual rounds of the western lands. Making sure none of the lesser youki were causing trouble. They had left Sesshoumaru behind so that there would be someone at the castle in case something came up. Jaken looked around and noticed that they were not going in the usually direction. Instead they were heading deeper into the western lands and not heading toward the eastern border like they usually did. The only thing in this direction was a strange old hag. Of course the old hag was the best seer. And there was only one reason for the lord to see her.

"You had another nightmare." Jaken stated but made it sound like a question. He winced and ducked his head behind his staff when the youki lord glared at him, only to turn his gaze back toward the direction they had been walking for the past three hours.

"I have had the same dream for the past week." Lord Inutaishou said in way of answering the annoying youki at his side.

Jaken was startled. He didn't think Inutaishou would actually answer his question.

"What was the dream?" He asked. He was always listening for material for his stories.

His question was met with silence at first and Jaken thought that he had finally pushed the wrong button.

"You will know soon enough." Inutaishou finally answered.

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

The old seers hut always looked strange to Jaken. It was made out of solid wood and the windows were made out of a clear breakable substance instead of paper. The door was the strangest of the little hut. Instead of sliding open it would swing open or shut. The hut was over grown with creeping ivy that made it very hard to see, moss grew on the roof and the trees grew close to it. The only part of the house not covered in some sort of greenery was the windows and the odd door.

Lord Inutaishou knocked on the strange looking door. A loud booming echo was heard from within.

The door opened a crack and a green eye peered up at them before the door was shut. They both heard chains rattling before the door swung open wide enough to let them in. The door shut behind them making the one room hut darker. An old youki stood before them. Her back was bowed with age and she was rubbing gnarled hands together as though she was cold.

"Come, this way. I have been expecting you." The old youki said. She looked up at them with her one remaining eye. Where the other one use to be was a scar that ran from her the corner of eyebrow down to her cheek.

Inutaishou and Jaken sat at the small table. A pot of tea and three cups and saucers sat on the table. Inutaishou sat cross-legged at the low table, and waited while Jaken got situated. The old youki, Yukan, poured them their tea before pouring herself some.

Inutaishou took a polite sip before returning the delicate cup to its saucer. He cleared his throat to begin telling her why he was here. But the old seer held up her hand to forestall him.

"I know why you're here, Lord Inutaishou." The old woman said, after putting her cup down.

Inutaishou raised his eyes to meet the old youki.

"You have come here because of a dream you have been having." She continued. "Tell me."

Inutaishou took a deep calming breath and began to tell her about the dream. Jaken sat quietly sipping his tea, and taking notes.

"I was in one of the castles corridors and all I could see was dead youki slouched against the wall. There were solders, woman and children. All dead. Almost all of them I knew. I ran down the hall to see if I could find anyone alive. They were all dead." Inutaishou had to stop to take a calming, shuttering breath before he continued.

"I was running past the great doors leading into the throne room when I heard laughter. I quickly threw open the doors. On the floor was my son and a young boy I had never seen before lying dead. Each one carried one of the swords that I now carry with me. I saw a figure sitting on the throne with a cup in his hands. I lost all control and attacked him when he drank from the cup and blood dribbled down his chin. I went right through him like I wasn't even there." Inutaishou stopped. "I always wake up at that point."

He looked up into the old seers face, his golden eyes asking the question that she already knew was coming.

She sighed. "I have told you a great evil was coming time and time again. Maybe now you'll listen to old Yukan. Her eye alit with humor, which changed when she grew serious.

"Your dream is a vision of the future. Closer then you think. In this future everyone you now know will be dead, including your son." Yukan said.

There was a deadly silence at the table, one of which Jaken was too scared to voice any of his many questions.

"Is there anyway to stop this from happening?" Inutaishou asked when he had absorbed her information.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think you can. In your dream you mentioned that you were unable to harm the one who did this act. I would have to guess that you will die before any of this takes place."

"Die!" Jaken blurted out. "Lord Inutaishou can not die you old hag." He could no longer sit quietly and let this old foolish hag spout nonsense.

"Jaken. Be quiet or next time you won't be returning to the castle." Inutaishou growled.

"You mean you would leave your loyal servant here to defend for himself in the dark forest?" Jaken asked his already large yellow eyes growing larger in fright.

"No, I will simply kill you." Answered the lord.

At this Jaken dropped his eyes and continued sipping his tea.

"So I am to die." Inutaishou sipped at his tea while he pondered this piece of news.

"Is there any way to stop my kingdom from being taken over?" He asked, keeping to the task at hand.

"If I was you, I would get all my people out of the western lands. You do have allies right?" Yukan asked.

Lord Inutaishou nodded. "Yes in the east."

"Then I would send them there." The seerer said. She held up an old gnarled hand to forestall his complaint. "You have a little time yet, before this all comes to pass."

"How much time?" asked Inutaishou.

"Enough time for you to sire another son." Came the unexpected answer.

"Another son! My wife is dead and I plan on never marring again." Inutaishou's shocked voice shot back.

"You will have another son. He is the other boy in your dream. Why else would he have your sword?" Yukan argued back.

Lord Inutaishou watched the dark liquid in his cup as he swirled it around. He then took the cup and drank the last of the tea. Putting it down gently he stood up and motioned to Jaken to do the same.

"Thank you for your hospitality and your insight lady Yukan. I fear it is time for us to depart." Inutaishou politely said. Then he bowed to her.

Yukan lead them to the door and preceded to unfasten all the chains from the door, she bid them goodbye.

She turned to head back inside but stopped. "I won't be here next time you come. I am moving. This place is becoming dangerous." She called out to the demons just as they disappeared from view. She shrugged and went back inside, being careful to refasten the locks on the door.

Jaken looked up at his lord as they walked through the old forest. His lord seemed deep in thought. "What are we going to do my lord?" Jaken finally asked.

"Do? There is nothing to do. I will heed the old seers warnings. There is no way for me to forestall my own death. But there must be a way to make sure my lands do not fall into an enemy's hand." He said frustrated.

"My lord what if you appointed another as a potential heir?" asked Jaken.

"Who? Everyone I know was dead and will be dead if I don't send them away. My own son was dead and he is being trained by the best." Inutaishou answered, the frustration still showing in his voice.

They walked in silence after that. Inutaishou had a lot on his mind and Jaken was troubled about this other son his lord was suppose to sire. They were startled out or their thoughts by the sound of swords clashing together. And two voices that they both recognized.

"No, no. You need to put your feet like this so that you will stay balanced when you block. Other wise it would be easy to push you over. And lift that arm up a bit." A male voice scolded.

"Sesshoumaru, why are we dong this?" A very familiar female voiced whined.

"I am bored and this was the only way I could think of to get out of that musty old castle." Sesshoumaru answered in a calm voice.

"Well I could think of half a dozen things to do that does not require actual work. For example we could go swimming in that demon-infested lake of yours. Or we could go jump off the tallest cliff." Shesta suggested.

By now Inutaishou and Jaken were hiding in the bushes watching the two young adults. Sesshoumaru was standing calmly, sword drawn as he waited patiently for his sparing partner to stop talking. While Shesta sat on a large rock, her sword also drawn but the tip was buried into the dirt. Jaken saw Inutaishou wince when he saw the poor way the sword was being handled.

After Shesta listed all the 'fun' things they could be doing she looked him straight in the eyes and asked, "so why are you really trying to teach me the sword?"

Sesshoumaru sighed and sheathed his sword. "There are rumors about some of the nobles hiring assassins to kill you".

Shesta scoffed. "I can take care of myself. I am a lot harder to kill then you think, besides it would be fun." Shesta's eyes sparkled with delight. "I haven't had an assassination attempt on me for quite some time. I am running out of short swords and daggers."

She stood up abruptly. "Enough talking, do you want to go explore. I haven't seen much of your father's land. And its quite boring just standing in one spot and hacking at each other while you tell me what I am doing wrong."

"Where do you want to go?" Sesshoumaru asked cautiously.

"Lets go bug one of your father's enemy's. Who's the closest?" Shesta asked as she finally sheathed her sword.

"Father would kill me if he caught me doing that." Sesshoumaru answered.

"I would not let your father kill you. You're the only one I have." Shesta muttered the last under her breath.

"Only one what?" Sesshoumaru asked, his curiosity perked. As well as his hidden father and lackey.

"I am a lot older then you think. And I am not exactly human. I have been looking for my own kind for a very long time. I have just about given up hope. Along the way I have adopted people from different species into my own family. Usually there a lot more mature then me. You are the only one who I have adopted as a brother and there is no way I will let anyone kill you. Not that you need much help." Shesta answered. "Now lets go we'll be back before your father is." Shesta promised as she grabbed his arm and they both disappeared into the dense forest. They were headed straight for dragon territory.

"My lord, aren't you going to stop them?" Jaken asked. As he watched the two young ones disappear from sight.

"No, I will confront my son when he comes back." Lord Inutaishou answered. He and Jaken continued on their way back to the castle. As soon as they arrived Inutaishou locked himself in his rooms with orders to tell him as soon as his son came home.

The sun had already set by the time a young female servant came by to tell him his son was finally home.

Tell Jaken to have the elders meet me in the great hall." Inutaishou ordered the servant as he swept passed her.

"Are you insane!" roared one of the elders. " You want to adopt a human female. And all because of one of your silly dreams."

"You know full well that I sometimes have visions and I went to see the old seerer who confirmed it." Inutaishou answered calmly.

The elder huffed and slumped down in his seat. "Still she is a human and the law says that only one of youki blood can sit on the throne." He pointed out. The others nodded their heads and a murmur of agreement was heard in the room.

Inutaishou and the elders of each of the dog demon clans sat around a long oak table. Each elder had a seat that was assigned to him. Lord Inutaishou sat at the head.

"There is a way to make her at least partially youki." Inutaishou said. His voice calm. He watched the faces of those around him trying to gauge their emotions to this new information.

"You would give your own blood to a mere human." shintsuki said appalled.

"She is no mere human." Inutaishou narrowed his eyes at the young elder. The boy, for that is what he was, was from the black dog demon clan. His long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. The elaborate kimono he wore was all black except for the white lotus flowers that decorated his sleeves and collar. A black sword hung at his hip. Inutaishou had heard that the sword was unbreakable and had been made by toutousi himself. If he remembered right Shintsuki was the youngest ever to take a seat at the elders' council. He had gotten it when he had protected his family's estate after his fathers' untimely death, from a very evil and strong dragon youki.

"If she is no mere human, then let me challenge her. If she wins then you will have all the support from the clans, but if she loses…." Shintsuki said. The twinkle in his eye betraying his excitement of an up coming battle. Even if it were just a mere human female he would be facing. Inutaishou looked around the room and noticed the other elders agreeing with Shintsuki.

"Agreed." He said as he stood signaling the meeting over.

Early the next morning Inutaishou meet his son at the salle. Sesshoumaru was dancing his way out of a sword thrust from his teacher when Inutaishou called out to him.

"Do you know where Shesta is?"

Without missing a beat, Sesshoumaru's sword parried a blow from above, then he skipped sideways, letting his teacher's sword pass harmlessly by him.

"She's in the stables." Sesshoumaru answered without taking his eyes off his old youki teacher.

"Thank you, ( ) I believe Sesshoumaru earned himself another hour under your wise teaching." Inutaishou said before turning to leave.

A sharp yelp answered his statement. He smirked; his pup should learn to keep from being distracted. He felt more then heard his son walking next to him. He could hear the arms master yelling at his son to come back.

"Father, an hour? I had plans for this afternoon." Sesshoumaru wined.

"You had plans. And stop whining, a lord never whines." Inutaishou said. He glanced at his son and noticed a small tear in the shoulder of his garment. "If you do not want another hour added on, I suggest you head back."

"Yes father." Sesshoumaru said. He hung his head and shuffled back to the salle and to the waiting arms master.

The closer he got to the stables the stronger the strange scent of Shesta became stronger. He was able to quickly find her in the huge stable. He had to dodge his way around numerous stable hands as they scurried to get mounts ready for the soldiers.

He found her in a stall near the back of the stables. It was a stall for sick or injured animals. As he approached he could hear a lullaby being sung very softly. He peered over the stall door and found Shesta cradling something small in her arms. The hinges squeaked when he opened the stall door, startling Shesta.

"Oh, its just you." Shesta said. She turned her gaze back to the thing in her arms.

"What are you doing in here?" Inutaishou asked. "And what are you holding?" He bent down to see what it was. Shesta hesitated then gently unwrapped the bundle in her arms. The smell of dragon hit his nose making it twitch in discuss.

"You and my son went into the dragon territory and stole one of their dragons!" Inutaishou roared.

"Yes and no." Shesta answered calmly. The hatchling in her arms continued to sleep. "We went into your enemy's territory. There wasn't anyone to fight except for a couple of bully's. But as we were coming back we came across a dying she dragon. The cave had collapsed on top of her and her hatchlings. She told me that her mate had died two moons ago. Sesshoumaru and I dug out the cave entrance. He," she nodded her head toward the sleeping dragon in her arms, "was the only one we found alive. The dragon had succumbed to death hours before we found him."

"He is a dragon and can not stay here." Inutaishou said. His voice low and determined.

"Your son told me that you would say that. The dragon would make an excellent mount. They are very intelligent even for the non-talking ones. And with two heads; I have heard they are very rare." Shesta reasoned. Her red eyes bore into his daringly.

Inutaishou meet her stare. They continued stared at each other for a few minutes before Inutaishou caved in.

"You may keep him. But he must be kept in this stall." Inutaishou said. He looked down at the sleeping dragonet lying in Shesta's arms. "I need to speak to you" Inutaishou spoke.

"All right, let me put this little guy down." Shesta said. She carefully put the baby dragon down on the thick straw and covered him up so that only the two snouts could be seen peeking out.

After making sure the little dragonet was comfortable she turned her full attention to the demon lord.

Inutaishou looked around the stall and pulled over an almost empty grain barrel. He sat on it as regally as anyone could in a stall meant for soldier steeds.

"First, promise me you will not take my son into enemy territory." Inutaishou stated. His gaze catching Shesta's.

Shesta nodded. "I promise. I hadn't really been thinking I was just bored and I was tired of practicing fighting."

Inutaishou accepted her promise. "Now for the real business that I am here." Inutaishou leaned forward and told her his vision and what he had over heard.

"I would like to adopt you into the great Taishou line." He finally said.

Shesta was quite taken aback. "You want to adopt me! Sesshoumaru will actually be my real brother? And I will have a real father!"

"Yes" Inutaishou answered her many questions.

"I accept" Shesta said without taking another moment to think. She sprang up from her place and flung her arms around his neck.

"Thank you" she whispered. Tears stinging her eyes. " I have always wanted a family."

Inutaishou let the human hang on him for a few minutes before gently pushing her off.

"I am glad you accepted. We have one problem. Shintsuki has challenge you to a duel."

"Is it to the death?" She asked.

"No, but it is permitted." Inutaishou answered.

Shesta looked at him and smiled. " Good, then I accept."


End file.
